Whitney Moore – Nerdisthttp://nerdist.com
Fri, 09 Dec 2016 15:15:21 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.6.1The New Trailer for WELCOME TO YESTERDAYhttp://nerdist.com/the-new-trailer-for-welcome-to-yesterday/
http://nerdist.com/the-new-trailer-for-welcome-to-yesterday/#commentsTue, 17 Dec 2013 21:00:47 +0000http://www.nerdist.com/?p=102104The trailer for Welcome to Yesterday (formerly known as Almanac, directed by Dean Israelite and produced by Michael Bay, is a first look at the sci-fi teen thriller that fits right in with the current influx of found footage blockbusters:

Back in July, we set out to Atlanta to watch the music festival scene being filmed, as hundreds of extras decked out in hipster garb (complete with Coachella-style Native American war bonnets) dance and frolic in the balmy southern heat. There we caught up with actors Johnny Weston, Sofia Black D’Ella, Sam Lerner, and Allen Evangelista, who seemed happy to rest in the shade and swat at mosquitos for a moment in between scenes. The four play high school students whose lives change drastically when David (played by Weston) discovers his late father’s blueprints to a time machine.

The actors praised Andrew Stark’s script (written on spec and Black Listed in 2012) as being true to the decisions typical teenagers would make in such a scenario; rather than go back in time to slay Hitler, they use the machine to pass finals and go to parties. Unsurprisingly, the cast and crew also noted the 2012 hit Chronicle as a major influence for the characters and story.

Look for Welcome to Yesterday February 28, 2014.

What do you think of the trailer? Are you sick of the found footage craze yet, or do you think it’s a valuable storytelling tool in film? What would you do with a time machine? Let us know by leaving a quemment below or by telling me on Twitter!

The atmospheric, synthy indie rock duo Broken Bells (comprised of Dangermouse’s Brian Burton and The Shins’ James Mercer) have released Part Two of their short film After the Disco, which also happens to be the title of their second album. The short stars Anton Yelchin as an earthling in pursuit of space babe Kate Mara at an outer space nightclub, and is as visually stunning as Part One. Director Jacob Gentry, who also directed Broken Bells’ first sci-fi short, The Ghost Inside, sat down to answer some questions about his shorts. Instead, what happened was a multiple-hour phone conversation wherein we both geeked out about our favorite sci-fi, which I boiled down to five questions.

NERDIST: How did you come into contact with Broken Bells?

JACOB GENTRY: I’ve know Brian Burton since college, and we’ve always just been fans of each other’s work. We hadn’t worked together until the first Broken Bells video.

James Mercer and Brian Burton

N: Do you feel like there’s more freedom in directing a short than a feature, or is it the same?

JG: Shorts are a really good way to explore ideas that maybe might not sustain for a whole feature. Ultimately, it’s the same process for me, creating a world and working with actors and then editing that world- but for shorts, you don’t have to go into as many narrative ups and downs – you can get a little simpler and use narrative concepts that have only one note. It’s actually taught me a good lesson for writing features, about simplifying moments and to pull back on constantly being afraid that I might bore people.

N: Why is sci-fi a favorite genre for you?

JG: You can talk about themes and ideas about your life and the world, and add how people interact with technology and a future set in a world that’s similar to ours but that introduces new ideas so you can do more with the story. You can make a movie about war, and if it’s not actually set in a real war, the viewers aren’t constantly trying to find out what the factual truths or bias are, you can just look at the humanity of it.

Also, I just really like space ships a lot – I like robots, I like all of the possibilities of what you can explore, and I’m a big space geek!

[Gentry also mentioned Philip K. Dick’s notion of conceptual dislocation. In his collected works, Dick notes that in “good science fiction, the conceptual dislocation — the new idea, in other words — must …be intellectually stimulating to the reader… [so] it sets off a chain-reaction of ramification – ideas in the mind of the reader; it so-to-speak unlocks the reader’s mind so that that mind, like the author’s, begins to create.” (Philip K. Dick, Letter, 1981, Reader, 41-42, xiii-xiv)”]

Kate Mara and Anton Yelchin

N: What science fiction work are you a fan of?

JG: Battlestar Galactica from the early 2000s was a big inspiration for the first Broken Bells video. I’m also a huge fan of Philip K. Dick’s writing, and the movies that are made from his books – Blade Runner is one of my favorite movies of all time.

N:Science Fiction seems to revolve around two main aesthetics – the sleek, all chrome setting and the grungy, exposed wires. You sort of use both of them in your videos – how do you decide and what’s your favorite?

JG: The Ghost Inside was definitely more of the grungy, cyberpunk sort of sci fi aesthetic of the late 70’s-early 80’s like in Blade Runner, Alien, and Outland. And I think, aesthetically, it just worked better with the story, juxtaposed against the sort of Hollywood Golden Age ideal of what the future would be like.

For After the Disco, the setting was very much inspired by the album art and the music, so we got more of a sleek, ’70s sci fi fantasy look. Broken Bells combines a lot of different types of music from all eras, and that’s really what I try to demonstrate with the shorts – all the different ideas from different decades of what the future would be like.

Christina Hendricks in “The Ghost Inside”

Kate Mara in “After the Disco”

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Follow updates on Jacob’s work via his Twitter account, and check out Broken Bells’ album in its entirety here.

What are some of your favorite sci-fi tropes? What director or band do you want to see featured on Nerdist? Let me know by leaving a quemment below or shouting out on Twitter!

]]>http://nerdist.com/broken-bells-after-the-disco-part-two-and-qa-with-director-jacob-gentry/feed/2Zack and Ed Tell Us All About the Dick Figures Moviehttp://nerdist.com/zack-and-ed-tell-us-all-about-the-dick-figures-movie/
http://nerdist.com/zack-and-ed-tell-us-all-about-the-dick-figures-movie/#commentsWed, 27 Nov 2013 00:18:41 +0000http://www.nerdist.com/?p=99067The Dick Figures feature film from creators Ed Scudder and Zak Keller is now available on DVD and Blu-ray. To celebrate the successful series transition into a successful feature film, they sat down with me to answer a couple burning questions. The film follows Red and Blue, two lovable doofs that discover the true meaning of friendship when they travel on an epic journey to find the perfect gift for Blue’s girlfriend. The film was kickstarter funded and released both as a full download and in 12 chapters starting on September 17th.

Nerdist: Where did the decision to crowdfund the film come from?

Ed & Zack: It was actually a reaction to the fact that we had gone to talk to a few studios and, while there was some interest, it felt like they didn’t really “get it.” So, we figured we’d go back to the fans to see if we could pull it off together.

Dick figures started as something we didn’t even plan on pursuing, really, and now we’re 43 episodes in and it’s really just grown organically, and because the fans have gotten us this far we hoped they’d take us the rest of the way.

N: How much of the fans input shapes the show and it’s characters?

We definitely read all the comments and like to keep up with what everyone thinks of each episode and that way we’ve found out what sort of characters are favorites and what people don’t respond to. And the fans ask for a lot of specific things, like there have been a lot of people asking to see a gender bender episode, so in season five we’re trying to work that in.

Also because the show is so simple there’s been a really good amount of fan art for the show on deviant art, on the mondo media web site, and we’ve done a bunch of poster competitions where fans can submit posters, people have even submitted their ideas in comics so we did an episode based off the comics.

N: Any particular fan art that stands out to you guys?

There are definitely the shocking ones; you know, like everything else there’s the porn version of Dick Figures but then there’s also some really awesome fan art- like people have drawn Zak and I just as human beings. We’ve even seen a couple tattoos!

We actually did a whole music video that was fan created where we separated a song into 5 or so second chunks and had fans animate whatever they wanted in the dick figures universe, then we cut it together. There was some really phenomenal animation that was submitted; claymation, legos, 3D, hand drawn in pencil; it was all super cool and probably one of our favorite episodes.

N: So since people respond to you guys as personalities, how much of the characters would you say comes from how you really are?

Ed is definitely red and I am definitely blue, but to a hyper degree. All the characters have a lot of aspects of our personalities in them naturally, and I think that’s the case with a lot of creators using facets of their personalities, so it’s fun making episodes together because it develops out of things we’d say naturally and just going back and forth, but amplified by a billion.

N: You guys bumped up the production value for the film a lot- how did you walk that line between making it look shiny and nice for a feature while keeping the signature, very simple animation style?

We started off going pretty crazy with colors and beefing up the backgrounds, but then we realized that it might be a step in the opposite direction- we didn’t want to make it too fancy so we just decided to clean it up a little. A lot of it also came from the camera work and sound design, which are things you might not notice right away but definitely help make it look like a more professional movie.

N: Tell me about the sound design and your composer. You guys have such a wide range of music genres, how do you find what fits?

We like our music to be all over the place, you’ve probably heard anything from dubstep, to cinematic, to hip hop; and it’s all done by one guy, Zak’s brother Nick Keller. The kid is a powerhouse, and so it’s been so fun to see what he can turn around all across the board. We’ve been so impressed by him.

[For more on the music of Dick Figures, check out our behind the scenes, making of clip.]

N: What would you say are the big differences with creating a feature versus 1-2 minute shorts?

A big thing with bridging the gap between a short video and a full 72 minutes was figuring out what the core of Red and Blue’s story is, and at the end of the day it boils down to a story about friendship. The whole thing is just watching them be idiots together, and why they hang out at all- so the script we wrote is about the genesis of their friendship.

N: What’s next for you two and the Dick Figures universe?

We’re finishing up season five, which comes out in December- and that includes a super cool music video that Ninja Sex. There have been talks (unconfirmed!) of a game, and we’re definitely going to keep the characters alive into the future.

What did you guys think of the Dick Figures movie? Where do you want to see the characters go from here? Would you play a Dick Figures video game? Tell us your thoughts by leaving a quemment below or giving a shout out on

It’s hard to make a convincing Kickstarter video that will also keep our Internet-spoilt attention spans captivated, so hats off to filmmakers Jeff Grace and Ryland Aldrich for giving us one that totally doesn’t suck. Folk Hero & Funny Guy will be the directorial debut of Jeff Grace, known for his starring role in the Todd Berger comedy It’s a Disaster, which also starred David Cross, Julia Styles, and America Ferrera. Jeff also penned the script, based loosely on musician Adam Ezra, who is composing music for the film.

The description: Folk Hero & Funny Guy stars Alex Karpovsky of Girls and Tiny Furniture fame as Paul, a musician whose career is just beginning to take off and who reconnects with an old childhood friend, a much less successful aspiring stand-up comedian. After the two friends bond one evening while Paul is passing through town on tour, he offers his friend the opportunity to open up for his shows, thus beginning a road trip perfectly suited to buddy comedy shenanigans.

The film makers are also giving out a bevy of very cool incentives to contributors, including creative work by those involved in the film and exclusive pieces from production. Donators can win a water color portrait of themselves by Alex Karpofsky, a stand up comedy class, a happy birthday video from musician Liza Oppenheimer, who also stars in the film, and a bunch of other neat-o shit. For more info, check out the Kickstarter page. The Kickstarter has 14 days to go.

What sort of incentives make you want to support a Kickstarter project? Have you any projects you’re excited about supporting? Let us know by leaving a quemment below or telling me on Twitter!

]]>Nominees and Performers Announced! Vote in YouTube’s First Ever Music Awards!http://nerdist.com/nominees-and-performers-announced-vote-in-youtubes-first-ever-music-awards/
http://nerdist.com/nominees-and-performers-announced-vote-in-youtubes-first-ever-music-awards/#commentsThu, 24 Oct 2013 22:30:55 +0000http://www.nerdist.com/?p=94585Curious as to which music videos made the most impact this year, or which current musicians broke out by getting hyped on the internet? Enter YouTube’s first ever Music Awards, a global event that asks viewers (that would be you) to vote on the best, the craziest, the most controversial music and artists of the year.

The award show, hosted by Jason Schwartzman and Reggie Watts, will take place November 3rd at Pier 36 in New York and will host a bevy of performers, including Avicii, M.I.A., Earl Sweatshirt, Tyler the Creator, Walk Off the Earth, Eminem, Lady Gaga, Lindsey Sterling, CDZA, and Arcade Fire for the live show. YouTube will also be hosting a series of live shows leading up to the awards in cities all over the world like Seoul, Tokyo, Moscow, London and Rio, which will be available to live stream at the YouTube Music Awards channel.

An amalgamation of fan retweets, shares, and likes will determine the winners of the soon-to-be-coveted award. Here are the categories and nominees:

Video of the Year: Honoring the world’s most loved music videos, these nominees represent the videos with the most fan engagement on YouTube over the last year:

Rudimental Innovation of the Year: Starting with videos selected by an international panel of musicians, YouTubers and creative luminaries, we then selected the creative video innovations that resonated most with fans on YouTube, based on views, likes, shares
and comments.

Who are you going to vote for? What videos and artists are you bummed out didn’t make the cut? Am I the only one who felt super-irrelevant realizing I hadn’t seen most of these videos? Let me know! Leave a quemment below or tell me on Twitter!

The horror comedy du jour is Mike Mendez’s creature feature Big Ass Spider!, which is being released theatrically and on streaming devices today, October 18th. The film, which has been steadily gaining speed and positive reviews since its debut at SXSW this year, stars Greg Grunberg of Heroes fame, Lombardo Boyar, Ray Wise, and Lin Shaye, and is an unapologetic tribute to schlocky cult films.

If you’re hankering for a silly creepshow to go see with your friends, Big Ass Spider! looks like it’ll fit the bill. For theaters, check out their web site or Twitter, and while you’re there, tell me what you think of it.

Despite the popularity of The Shoes’ upbeat and appropriately named 2012 track “Time to Dance”, the accompanying beautiful and macabre music video has a surprisingly low number of views, even with Jake Gyllenhaal as its leading man. And while half a million views is nothing to sneeze at, the creepy short film deserves to have a lot more eyeballs on it.

Clocking in at almost 10:00, the short illustrates a grisly killing spree through the eyes of a detached-looking Gyllenhaal. And though 10:00 is like two hours in YouTube Time, the video manages to stay captivatingly creepy throughout. We see him take bloody revenge on his hip-looking victims at various parties, then methodically grooming and planning his next attack. Throughout the video, Gyllenhaal keeps a quiet insanity in his eyes that is almost creepier than the murder scenes themselves.

The song itself is an interesting foil to the horror movie like scenes of the short. The French synth-pop duo had been gaining speed remixing already established pop artists, but their album Crack My Bones is their first venture into the spotlight. “Time to Dance” is a rewarding jam with meandering beats reminiscent of LCD Soundsystem.

Sample the entire Crack My Bones album at the band’s Last FM site, and make sure you let me know what you think of the album and what other creepy music videos you like on Twitter!

]]>http://nerdist.com/spooky-tunes-a-murderous-jake-gyllenhaal-in-the-shoes-time-to-dance/feed/2Halloween Party Playlist Essentials, Vol. 2: 10 More Spooky Jamshttp://nerdist.com/halloween-party-playlist-essentials-vol-2-10-more-spooky-jams/
http://nerdist.com/halloween-party-playlist-essentials-vol-2-10-more-spooky-jams/#commentsTue, 15 Oct 2013 13:00:25 +0000http://www.nerdist.com/?p=92038Two years ago our own Becca Gleason gave you thirteen spooky jams to take your Halloween playlist from hellish to hellraisingly fun. But, let’s be honest, it’s been two years, so we’re overdue for a new creepy crop of killer tunes from beyond the pale. Now that the season of frights is upon us, I give you ten more party starters for your Halloween party playlist that will raise the dead and the roof.

The Ventures – “Twilight Zone”

Nothing like the classic one-two-three-four of The Twilight Zone reimagined by ’60s surf rock kings The Ventures to simultaneously get your guests in a swinging kind of mood and also creep them out a little.

Groovie Ghoulies – “Zombie Crush”

Not sure what to tell that babe in the Bride of Frankenstein ensemble sitting in the corner? Just play this delicious bit of ’90s pop punk and she’ll start to swoon. Also recommended: the entire album, or really anything by the Groovie Ghoulies. Their whole schtick was adorably catchy monster and sci-fi themed jams.

Stephanie Mabey – “The Zombie Song”

For those who are slightly more inclined toward pop music, there’s still a zombie love song for you. This heartfelt ditty comes again from the perspective of a zombie, who boasts that “our love is deeper than Edward and Bella’s.” Depending on where you fall on the Twilight fan spectrum, that’s either saying a lot or nothing at all.

Iron Maiden – “Fear of the Dark”

Not a fan of girl-driven pop to give you that sense of creeping dread? Iron Maiden’s “Fear of the Dark” captures the darker side of Halloween spookiness. You can never go wrong with Maiden, but the lyrics to this ballad are especially creepy: “Sometimes when you’re scared to take a look/At the corner of the room/You’ve sensed that something’s watching you.” Except at your party, it’ll be the cute guy in the Leatherface mask. At least we hope he’s cute.

The Misfits – “Halloween”

Duh.

Attaboy Skip – “Ghostbusters Theme”

Okay, time for a change of pace. Ray Parker Jr.’s Billboard-topping Ghostbusters theme was mentioned on the last Halloween playlist, but this energizing ska cover is the jam to really get your party going. We ain’t afraid of no pick it up, pick it up, pick it up!

How could such a scary song be also really kind of sexy and make us want to dance? Thanks, Beats Antique.

The Cranberries – “Zombie”

Whether it’s Halloween season or not, everyone loves this song. Play it near the end of your party so you can hear all the your drunk friends yell “Zombie, zombie, zom-bbiiieeeeeeeee!” Then, you’ll just need a bone-chilling remix of “Don’t Stop Believin'” to let them know the party is well and truly over.

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So there you have it – there are definitely more great Halloween jams out there, but these are the essentials. What’s on your Halloween playlist? Let us know by leaving a quemment below or telling me on Twitter!

]]>http://nerdist.com/halloween-party-playlist-essentials-vol-2-10-more-spooky-jams/feed/8Fashion! Pizza! Action Figures! What’s New in the World of 3D Printinghttp://nerdist.com/fashion-pizza-action-figures-whats-new-in-the-world-of-3d-printing/
http://nerdist.com/fashion-pizza-action-figures-whats-new-in-the-world-of-3d-printing/#commentsTue, 15 Oct 2013 01:00:59 +0000http://www.nerdist.com/?p=87488While 3D printers have already made a splash in the medical community and even the auto industry with their laser-precise ability to create parts that fit just about anywhere, here are a few other reasons we’re looking forward to the new tech.

1) We’ll get action figures of ourselves

Hamburg based company TwinKind has opened up a pop up shop that gives the word “selfie” a whole new meaning. Customers can now have a realistic looking replica of themselves cast in a 3D model just by standing for a moment in the 3D scanner. And this isn’t the shoddy, single-colored action figure we’ve seen created by 3D printers in the past; Twinkind produces a detailed, life like mini-you that’s available in sizes of around 15 cm to about 35 cm. If you’re ready to have a tiny you to give your Power Girl and Harley Quinn statues some company (what you do with them is none of our business), an action figure will run you from €225 (about $300 USD) to €1290 (about $1,720 USD.)

2.) SPACE PIZZA

NASA recently announced that one of its selections in the highly competitive Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program, which aims to give grants to small businesses that might benefit a global market, is none other than a 3D printing project that could potentially develop food for astronauts on long missions. Systems and Materials Research Corporation, the geniuses who conceptualized a printer that could actually take all the necessary nutrients required to sustain a human and turn them into raw materials to print up a pizza, received a $125,000 grant for a six month research and development program. This not only means that astronauts can add variety and creativity to meals on future several-year-long missions to, say, Mars, but a printer that can create food is pretty exciting for the theoretical end of world hunger, too, even if it is just in its first stages of development. And while we think pizza is the obvious choice because it’s indisputably the best food out there, mechanical engineer Anjan Contractor has a few more technical reasons for picking pizza as the model for this ambitious goal. Because 3D printed food is created by layering ingredients one microscopic layer at a time, the pizza will be created by simultaneously printing and baking the dough layer, then adding a tomato sauce layer (stored as a powder, then mixed with water and oil), and topped off with a “protein layer,” which can be made of anything from animals, milk, plants or even bugs.

3D printing will make up most of the meal, with inkjet printing adding flavor, aroma, and vitamins. Tasty!

3) Jewelry

It didn’t take long for designers to adopt 3D printing as a new medium for creating unique, high fashion wearables. Designs that would take hours of painstaking modeling, melting and carving of materials are now able to come to form with a few simple clicks on a computer. Take, for instance, the intricate details in Nervous System, which sells jewelry pieces inspired by (you guessed it) the cell cycle, as well as taking nods from algae formations and fossil patterns. Design lovers looking for high end jewelry can look to Butterscotch of Brooklyn, where you can find a pretty geometric design cast in gold, silver, stainless steel and resin. Though the 3D printing of jewelry seems to lend itself to complex shapes and patterns, free form designs are emerging as well, a la the whimsical pieces courtesy of FreshFiber. Because 3D printing tech allows for custom fitting design as well, whole pieces suited to fit your body like an exoskeleton are being created as well.

Is it just me, or will the next wave in cosplay become even cooler with custom fit armor?

Nervous System Jewelry

FreshFiber Jewelry

What kind of 3D printed tech are you most excited about? Would you take a bite of space pizza or rock any of the jewelry seen here? Is it narcissistic to want an action figure of yourself? Let’s talk. Leave a quemment or tweet at me!

]]>http://nerdist.com/fashion-pizza-action-figures-whats-new-in-the-world-of-3d-printing/feed/2Ten Existing Games We’d Love to Play on Oculus Rifthttp://nerdist.com/ten-existing-games-wed-love-to-play-on-oculus-rift/
http://nerdist.com/ten-existing-games-wed-love-to-play-on-oculus-rift/#commentsSun, 13 Oct 2013 22:00:28 +0000http://www.nerdist.com/?p=89982Seeing the Oculus Rift steadily gaining steam and influence among gamers and tech enthusiasts made us wonder which already existing games and franchises would be awesome to get the virtual reality treatment. No matter what your game preference is, here’s our official list of games and series in which we’d like to immerse ourselves with the Rift.

10. Mirror’s Edge

Honestly, who didn’t think about how great Mirror’s Edge (and the sequel) would be applied to virtual reality? The game exists to put you in the freerunning shoes of those badder-assed than you, and if you can avoid the motion sickness, the atmosphere and first person perspective are a shoo-in to make you feel like a superhero. Or, at least, the athlete you always knew was somewhere inside you.

WHEEEEEEEEE

9. Slender

A game with zero fighting and really no happy ending to be found, the horror of the Slender franchise comes from pure atmosphere and chilling suspense. You know you’re going to get got, and with each bit of actual progress, the increased pacing, music, and dwindling flashlight power serves to reinforce your inevitable doom. Bringing Slender to the Rift would be a masochistic delight.

nonononoNONONONO

8. Myst

Okay, stay with me here. The whole great thing about Myst was exploring the world, since you spend half the time running around unsure of what you’re actually supposed to be looking for. I’d even take those sweet 1993 graphics for the ability to feel like I’m on that creepy island.

I want to go to here

Note: in researching this article I learned that Myst was re-released on Steam AND for the 3DS. So yeah. I’m doin’ that.

7. Anything from the Metroid franchise

As a girl who always wanted to be Samus, I’d take any game set in the Metroid universe, as long as it meant rocking a cybernetic suit and blasting space pirates.

6. Skyrim

Any fantasy or science fiction franchise is an obvious for the Rift, but the breathtaking art design and soundtrack would make a killer world for virtual reality – provided the future technology can handle all that sweet 1080p. Plus, fighting dragons, you guys. Come on.

OKAY SO APPARENTLY THIS IS A THING ALREADY (click for video!)

5. Fallout 3

The same logic applies to the Fallout franchise as Skyrim, duh, because Bethesda is the greatest. Fallout 3 is my personal favorite game of all time, and the only improvement to the overall experience (besides the occasional glitch-and-crash) would be experiencing Vault life in 3D while jamming out to the Ink Spots on GNR. Just imagine facing a Deathclaw in virtual reality. Now shut up and take our caps.

OH GOD YES

4. The Assassin’s Creed franchise. All of it.

How perfect of a scenario for the Rift is a game that’s story is already rooted in virtual reality? It would be like you’re stepping into the Animus yourself to become a badass assassin with the ability to leap, free run, and stealth-kill your enemies while wearing a totally sweet hoodie.

3. Bioshock

It’s hard to write an article about incredible settings, sound and art design without mentioning the Bioshock series. An opportunity to see the story unfold in virtual reality is part of the very reason we’re so excited about the new technology. Can you imagine how cool it would be to go flying around Columbia on your Skyhook? Can you feel the motion sickness building inside of you?!

2. Batman: Arkham Origins/Arkham City/Arkham Asylum

This is about the closest I’ll ever get to becoming Batman without having my parents tragically murdered. Fingers crossed.

1. Grand Theft Auto V

Sure, the scope and detail in the world would be cool on the Rift, but I’m wondering if playing it in virtual reality would actually change the gameplay experience. Would I be less inclined to beat up citizens for no reason if 3D was bringing the carnage to life? Probably not. Now let’s steal a freakin’ helicopter!

WHEEEEEEEE

Honorable mentions: Half Life, Portal, Resident Evil, Just Cause, and Knights of the Old Republic.

What games do you fantasize about playing on the Oculus Rift? Let me know if I missed any by leaving a quemment below or by telling me on Twitter!

Sarah and Brandy, who run the programming and PR for the classic Austin venue (where you can order Eggs Benedict and Bloody Marys straight to your seat, so pretty much the best place ever), are putting together a whole mess of events and screenings to quell your thirst for cute. Here are some things they have lined up:

-Screening of Empire Records and Can’t Hardly Wait with star Ethan Embry in attendance, followed by a Rex Manning Day party.

-Danceoke: Your favorite cinematic dance routines performed live on stage while the scene plays on the big screen.

– The Cute Show: an adorable clip show presented by BuzzFeed and guaranteed to make you squee.

– The Wild Brunch: A mimosa-fueled salute to the hottest men in cinema.

– Book talk with Jessica Morgan and Heather Cocks (creators of Go Fug Yourself and authors of Spoiled and Messy) and Megan McCafferty, creator of the Jessica Darling series.

SQUEE!

In order to accommodate the guests, space rental, and slew of events, they’re trying to raise $15,000 — and they’re offering some radical prizes for supporters. From VIP passes to your own balcony at the festival to a screenplay or manuscript critique sessions to a babelicious makeover, there are some very sweet incentives to help make Forever Fest a reality.

If the idea of kicking back with your besties for a weekend of joyous celebration of feel good movies to awaken your inner teen, check out Forever Fest’s Kickstarter for more information. They’re taking requests for your favorite flicks now, so make sure to follow all the updates on Facebook and Twitter to stay up to speed.

Monster and metal fans rejoice! Goblin themed metal band Nekrogoblikon’s music video for their song “No One Survives” hits the spot for those of us anticipating Halloween. Directed by Brandon Dermer, the video is a heartwarming underdog story disguised as a gory monster flick. We think it’s a perfectly epic jam to ring in those longer nights, and the video will inspire you to be the hero you always knew you could be.

If you dig the song, be sure to check out Nekrogoblikon’s Bandcamp site, and if you want to see more amazing videos, Dermer’s got them all on his web site. (He’s done videos for Major Lazer, Wavves, Jon Lajoie, and many others!)

What other music videos help you set the mood for the chilly month of October? What bands have been on your radar lately? Are you a metal fan, or just a goblin fan? Leave a comment below or let me know what spooky tunes you love on Twitter!

This unsurprisingly brutal trailer is for a one hour Metalocalypse special that seems to be unlike anything we’ve ever seen. Says the Adult Swim PR team:

“In Metalocalypse: The Doomstar Requiem A Klok Opera, we pick up directly after the abduction of Dethklok guitarist Toki Wartooth in the season four finale. With his life in danger, his only salvation can come from the four most selfish human celebrities on Earth — his bandmates, extreme metal band Dethklok. Will they be able to get past their own egos to help someone besides themselves? Find out in this one-hour heavy metal rock opera special with a completely original score.”

That’s right, we not only will be subjected to what’s likely to be the best (only?) animated heavy metal rock opera ever to graze our TVs (laptops), but come October 29th, the soundtrack, complete with a fifty piece orchestra, will be available as an album. Did we say “brutal” yet?

Creator Brendon Small said, “This is not like anything we’ve ever done. This is a full blown musical- metal combined with symphonic passages, classic musical theatre, high stakes drama, emotional moments, and yes totally ridiculous comedy. I drew from all of my influences to make this the most unique project I could dream of. This is easily the best thing we’ve ever done with the show and the music. I can’t wait for you to hear it.”

We can’t wait either, Brendon.

How pumped up are you for this? Will you be downloading the new Dethklok album? Leave a quemment below or let’s talk about metal on Twitter!

]]>http://nerdist.com/dethkloks-insane-metal-opera-trailers-here-album-coming/feed/4J. Scott Campbell Draws Our Favorite BREAKING BAD Characters!http://nerdist.com/j-scott-campbell-draws-our-favorite-breaking-bad-characters/
http://nerdist.com/j-scott-campbell-draws-our-favorite-breaking-bad-characters/#commentsSun, 22 Sep 2013 19:37:13 +0000http://www.nerdist.com/?p=90220Everyone’s favorite artist when it comes to dangerous females, J. Scott Campbell rolled out some sketches on his Twitter this week that were a bit of a departure from his usual voluptuous subjects. Check out this Breaking Bad fan art!

You can check out all of J. Scott Campbell’s impressive art on his website. Who’s your favorite Breaking Bad character? What other fan art would you love to see renditions of from your favorite comic illustrator? Leave a quemment below or give me a shout on Twitter!

]]>http://nerdist.com/j-scott-campbell-draws-our-favorite-breaking-bad-characters/feed/6Pickstarter: MUTANT LEAGUE FOOTBALL Rises From the Gravehttp://nerdist.com/pickstarter-mutant-league-football-rises-from-the-grave/
http://nerdist.com/pickstarter-mutant-league-football-rises-from-the-grave/#commentsWed, 18 Sep 2013 22:00:10 +0000http://www.nerdist.com/?p=89753If you were one of the lucky ones who had a Sega Genesis growing up, you probably know about the ultraviolent and hilarious 1993 game Mutant League Football. This gory take on the standard football games of the time was so well received, it spawned a whole line of toys, a cartoon, a comic, and a spinoff game for those who prefer their monsters smashing skulls in a game of hockey. In an era where sports titles reigned supreme, it was a subversive, satirical and supremely fun twist on the traditional formula. Then, like that, it disappeared into the ether.

If you happen to be one of the many loyal fans of Mutant League Football, rejoice: the original creator is back and crowdsourcing a brand new game: the similarly-named Mutant Football League. Michael Mendheim has assembled a rock star team of artists, game designers, writers and other creative types to breathe new life into the once (un)dead game. This crack team includes, but is not limited to, comic book illustrator Dave Elliot (of Redwall fame), game studio Robomodo (Big League Sports: Kinect), and potentially even you. One of the very cool perks for this Kickstarter is that if you donate the right funds, you can be immortalized in the new game as an in-game character with your own voiced-over catch phrase and even the chance to design plays for both offense and defense.

According to the Kickstarter page, players will be able to go up against their friends or on their own in single games, play-offs, and full seasons. Sports-averse gamers (I know you’re out there), fear not: this is looking to be a lot more than your standard football game. With the addition of obstacles, weapons, hazards and “dirty trick plays,” the new Mutant Football League is sure to be a crowd pleaser for both football fans and monster enthusiasts, and bridge the gap between the two.

Are you digging the idea of a Mutant League Football revival? Head on over to the Kickstarter page to find out all the details and perks, and be sure to quemment or tweet about why you’re looking forward to the game getting made!

]]>http://nerdist.com/pickstarter-mutant-league-football-rises-from-the-grave/feed/4Must-Read Manga: CHILDREN OF THE SEAhttp://nerdist.com/must-read-manga-children-of-the-sea/
http://nerdist.com/must-read-manga-children-of-the-sea/#commentsWed, 18 Sep 2013 19:00:47 +0000http://www.nerdist.com/?p=89495Daisuke Igarashi’s series Children of the Seais a beautifully illustrated, whimsical must-read that was first published in 2007 and has now released its conclusive fifth book, courtesy of Viz Media. The series follows the misfit Ruka, who is described as aggressive, athletic and unfriendly, and she quickly discovers her place might not be on dry land at all. Ruka befriends the enigmatic Umi and Sora, who were raised by dugongs (similar to manatees) and are currently being studied by the scientists at the aquarium at which her father works. The pair, which must hide their skin from the sun and stay moist most hours of the day, are just as intrigued by Ruka as she is them; they find kinship not only through their inability to fit in as normal kids but also share the same calls and visions from the sea that Ruka has had since childhood. Mysteries about Ruka’s past unfold as the community attempts to decode a parallel phenomenon; that is, fish have been both disappearing from aquariums and showing up on shores nowhere near their natural environment.

Children of the Sea is not for the impatient, as the storyline often ebbs and flows with lengthy, character-driven chapters that stray from the overall story but ultimately add a richness and emotional bond to each character. Igarashi spins a complex web of connections and relationships that can take a long time to pay off, and if you’re looking for a quick read, this probably isn’t your thing. Stick with Children of the Sea, though, and you’ll be rewarded by a truly gratifying read. Plus, if the story isn’t action-packed enough to keep your attention, the gorgeous artwork is more than enough to pore over.

For those inclined to check out the series, you can download it on Viz’s website or, if you’re not the digital comics type, wherever manga is sold.

What did you think of Children of the Sea? What do you look for the most in comics- the art, the story line, the characters, the action? Let me know by leaving a quemment below or telling me on Twitter!

]]>http://nerdist.com/must-read-manga-children-of-the-sea/feed/1We’re Digging: Fantasia: Music Evolvedhttp://nerdist.com/were-digging-fantasia-music-evolved/
Tue, 17 Sep 2013 22:00:34 +0000http://www.nerdist.com/?p=89182Fantasia: Music Evolved is the atmospheric adventure that’s been making a splash at E3, PAX, and around the web this year: Harmonix, the developers responsible for bringing your rock star fantasies to life with Rock Band and Guitar Hero, is showing off its new title, set to release in 2014. Fantasia: Music Evolved is an immersive, imaginative exploration game designed for the Kinect which applies the same point system as its button smashing predecessors, but with a whole universe ready to be unveiled and explored, puzzles to be solved, and new tunes that can be created. Players will use their own gestures to jam along to popular classic and current songs, and string, opera, rock ballad, and more variations thereof. The more points players collect, the more the environment opens up to reveal new worlds, instruments, and characters that can be interacted with.

The enthusiastic developers at Harmonix were juiced to tell us all about how exciting it was to help evolve Walt Disney’s initial mission statement to help tell immersive stories through music in Fantasia with the new technology. Harmonix promises a unique experience each time the game is played, as the songs are completely customizable with each instrument that becomes unlocked. Though Fantasia: Music Evolved doesn’t seem to have the competitive edge that Rock Band and Guitar Hero did, it does seem like it will deliver some extraordinary environments and atmosphere more aligned with encouraging creativity.

Perfect for children, pothead adults, and any and all variations on the two, this is one we’re excited to see develop. No word on hippos in tutus yet, though- Harmonix and Disney are being very hush-hush about which classic characters (if any!) they decide to bring back.

Is this a game you’re excited to play? Does anyone even play with the Kinect? What was your favorite Fantasia short growing up? Let us know by leaving a quemment below or holla atcha gurl on Twitter!

In celebration of the upcoming Blu-ray release of the summer zombie blockbuster World War Z, Paramount Pictures showed a bunch of us scrawny indoor kids who write about things a thing or two about survival in the event of an actual zombie apocalypse. The film, loosely based on Max Brooks’ 2006 novel of the same name, revolves around Brad Pitt as a former UN investigator who must travel the world in search of a cure for the increasingly threatening zombie pandemic.

Humvees whisked us away to the abandoned zoo in Los Angeles to learn real survival skills

Once settled in our base camp, we settled into various stations to learn from the selected team of experts. On deck was survival specialist and author of Disaster Diaries: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Apocalypse Sam Sheridan, who taught us the importance of packing an emergency bag and how to trap small animals in the wilderness. He also gave me the great advice that the key to survival in an emergency situation is maintaining a positive attitude and setting small goals such as building a fire. Way to go, Sam!

A garbage bag can go a long way if you need to stay warm in the wilderness.

You can get all the delicious squirrel you need with just a rock, a couple sticks, and a piece of string (or grass!)

Leading the crew in zombie defense moves was knife fighting instructor and Grandmaster Martial Artist (read: badass) Mark Mikita, who taught us survival noobs not only how to chop off infected heads with a machete, but also how to use just about anything as a weapon.

I killed him good and dead.

WWZ star and newfound zombie expert Daniella Kertesz was also there to catch us up on her experience filming and her own personal survival plan. Aside from chatting about how cool, exciting, and humbling working on a production of that size (and with Brad Pitt!) was, Daniella told me what she would bring in case of a zombie pandemic: her friends and family! How noble.

In between learning to fight off zombie hordes and survive the unforgiving wilderness, chef and foraging coach Bryce Waring was there to show us how to identify poisonous plants and cook up some tasty local wilderness fare.

Cactus, as it turns out, is pretty tasty.

I left the experience confident that I could totally be the hero if any zombie outbreaks happen or I’m suddenly stranded in the wild with my friends. I could at least trap a squirrel or two, and the Bug Out Bag I received upon leaving assures that I’ll be prepped when supplies run low.

Rations? Check. Emergency Blankets? Check. WWZ Blu-ray? CHECK.

Not sure if you’ll be an asset to your team when disaster strikes? You don’t need to have a sweet editorial gig to find out the basics of survival. Check out Sam Sheridan’s book to learn about his journey to becoming self reliant in the wilderness, and brush up on your zombie knowledge by watching World War Z. The Blu-ray is out September 17th and is packed with extras, including an unrated cut and an in depth look at the science behind the film’s zombie outbreak.

How do you think you’d do in a zombie apocalypse? All those nights spent playing L4D had to count for something, right? Share your survival tips and your opinion of WWZ by leaving a comment below or by tweeting at me!

This short, courtesy of animation house Moonbot Studios, has the internet abuzz with unabashed brand loyalty to Chipotle. The burrito slingers put out the video, about a humble scarecrow battling bigwig corporate food distributors in hopes of creating something more sustainable, as a companion/trailer to an app you can play. In addition to listening to Fiona Apple re-appropriate a famous Willy Wonka tune, you can battle the dastardly Crow Foods and take down their monopoly on the food industry. Just make sure to not get salsa on your phone.

Did playing this game make you think twice about where your food comes from? What’s in your ideal burrito? Where do you stand on refried beans? Leave a quemment below or let’s hash it out on Twitter! And as always, especially in this case, enjoy your burrito!

]]>http://nerdist.com/scarecrow-triumphant-the-new-chipotle-game-app-commercial/feed/9Five Questions with THE BUNKER’s Joshua Hale Fialkovhttp://nerdist.com/five-questions-with-the-bunkers-joshua-hale-fialkov/
http://nerdist.com/five-questions-with-the-bunkers-joshua-hale-fialkov/#commentsFri, 06 Sep 2013 14:00:06 +0000http://www.nerdist.com/?p=88427In celebration of the second issue of his new comic The Bunker (out now!), Joshua Hale Fialkov of Cataclysm, the Harvey nominated Elk’s Run, and I, Vampire fame, sat down with us to answer a couple questions about his creator-owned title. The Bunker tells the story of five friends who find mysterious letters inside a time capsule they buried long ago. And it’s no wonder none of them remember writing the letters; they’re written by their future selves. To add to the mystery, each one warns of an impending apocalypse, which they apparently caused. With a premise like that and an already stellar first issue illustrated by the wonderful Joe Infurnari, this is one series I’ll definitely be following.

From The Bunker #1

Nerdist: What was the decision to self publish like?

Joshua Hale Fialkov: Sort of a no-brainer, really. Joe and I both come from the indie world… I had a small press company for a long time, and Joe’s been making his own comics for years. And the conversation was really about wanting to have a playground for us. A place where we could tell our own stories how we wanted, when we wanted. It was a choice for complete freedom.

N: Had you and artist Joe Infurnari worked together before? How did you become familiar with his work?

JHF: We have a short story we did in Occupy Comics about the labor movement at the turn of the century that was sort of a trial run of working together. It was really eye opening, because I got to see just how much Joe brings to our collaborations. He’s a brilliant storyteller and a true creative partner. We met almost strictly by chance via Dean Haspiel, who, as you may know, is the hub to the wheel that is modern comics. Everybody knows him, loves him, and trusts him.

N: What other time travel tropes are you a fan of and inspire you and Joe?

JHF: Well, Joe is also known for his amazing book Timefucker, which is available on the web. Google it. Trust me. I’m a HUGE time travel nerd. This book sort of serves as my non-sci-fi take on it, something that’s about the grounding rather than the big over the top version. Joe and I talked a lot about films like Another Earth and The Sound of My Voice (both written by Brit Marling) and the way they handle the sci-fi. I think that we live in complicated times, and adding complication to the narrative that we face every day works so compellingly… Also, I love Doctor Who and Back to the Future.

N:Do you see The Bunker as more of a character based story, with each person dealing with their own conflicts — or will it turn into an action story about these kids trying to stop the impending apocalypse? Both?

JHF: Very much character first. As we march towards doomsday there will be more actiony bits, but the thing that attracts us to this story is the interpersonal drama between the characters and what their decisions do to each other and to the world around them.

From Issue 2

N: If you were to write a letter to your past self, what would it say?

JHF: “I’m so sorry. So very sorry.” Y’know, I’ve had things happen to me good and bad, and the realization that those things shaped me to be the man, the husband, and the father that I am is something I wouldn’t take back. Maybe a few less fist fights and broken bones.

What would you write in a letter to your past self? What would you want your future self to tell you? I’d definitely tell mine to keep reading comics… which I DO! Let me know on Twitter or by leaving a quemment below!

Warner Bros. Games has given us a breath of fresh air with the new trailer for Batman: Arkham Origins. Timely too, as the internet is already aflutter with speculation on Zach Snyder’s, ahem, interesting choice in his untitled Batman/Superman movie. Check out the trailer, which features Batman getting his ass handed to him several times over, an angry Commissioner Gordon, and a very punk rock looking Harley Quinn. (Is it just me, or is does her costume progression seem to be getting more and more Suicide Girl-esque? Not that that’s a bad thing.)

Batman: Arkham Origins is set to release October 2013. In case you missed it (I’m sure you wouldn’t have) check out the first trailer and let me know if you’re as excited as I am: leave a quemment below or holla atcha gurl on Twitter!

All right, you can exhale now. The finalists for DC’s Infinite Crisis Cosplay Competition, brought to you by DC, WB Games and your pals here at Nerdist, have been announced! In anticipation of the upcoming free MOBA game, contestants from all over the place have been submitting their best DCU cosplay in hopes that they’ll win your vote and get that coveted all expenses paid trip to PAX Prime in Seattle, WA. Our team of celebrity judges – comedian Paul Scheer, Just Cos‘ Chloe Dysktra, and Creative Director of DC Collectibles Jim Fletcher – helped to narrow it down for you, but contestants still need your vote to decide who’s the baddest, the raddest, and the most deserving. Check out the video to see our experts dish on who their favorites are and who just doesn’t make the cut.

Hop on over to Infinite Crisis‘ finalist page to check out the judges favorites and cast your vote!

Did checking out those mind blowing costumes juice you up for looking at some sweet cosplay? We’ve got you covered. Check out our Just Cos cosplay playlist to see all your favorite characters come to life.

Want more info on Infinite Crisis and the massive array of characters DC will be featuring every week? Check it out here.

Who are you going to vote for? What’s your favorite character in the DCU? Will you be playing Infinite Crisis? Let me know by leaving a quemment below or by yelling at me on Twitter!

]]>http://nerdist.com/finalists-announced-for-the-infinite-crisis-cosplay-competition/feed/2Comic Book Day: The 5 Best and Worst Adaptations To Comic Bookshttp://nerdist.com/comic-book-day-the-5-best-and-worst-adaptations-to-comic-books/
http://nerdist.com/comic-book-day-the-5-best-and-worst-adaptations-to-comic-books/#commentsWed, 21 Aug 2013 18:30:56 +0000http://www.nerdist.com/?p=76765This summer, more than ever, we’ve seen a deluge of films based on comic books flooding the cinemas. From Kick-Ass 2to 2 Gunsto Iron Man 3 to The Wolverineto Man of Steel to… you get the picture. But what about the other side of the coin? Adaptations of films, television, and video games are widely considered to be the scum of the comic book universe. Here, we sifted through all the garbage to find the most notably horrendous ones, and the diamonds in the rough.

The Best:

Bill and Ted’s Excellent Comic Book – Evan Dorkin

Our two favorite grungetastic airheads seamlessly transition from the screen to the comics in this 12 issue series penned and inked by Evan Dorkin. You can practically hear Keanu and Alex’s gnarly voices utter phrases like “Ted! We’re totally gonna die! Hurry! Jeez!” and “We wouldn’t leave dead dudes in your house! We’re your friends! We fully traveled the celestial planes, played truly awesome games of chance for our lives — ” as they travel through space and time with their old pal Death battling various intergalactic baddies and defending the Princess’ honor. This adaptation is most excellent.

28 Days Later – Michael Alan Nelson, Declan Shalvey

BOOM! Studios put this series out to bridge the gap between 28 Days Later and 28 Weeks Later and satiate franchise fans’ questions of what became of the initial story’s characters. One of the few comics here that can stand alone as a story without the help of its fan base, the 28 Days Later comic is ripe with frightening tension, great dialogue, and plenty of gore.

True Blood – Alan Ball, David Tischman, Mariah Huehner

We wanted to hate this comic, we really did. It would be easy to try with the current oversaturation of vampire fandom and the massive fan base HBO’s True Blood currently commands; however, despite our best efforts, this is one of the more superbly written and drawn adaptations out there. The characters are true to the series with the same plot twists, clever dialogue, and steamy scenes that you’d expect from the show. Fans will rejoice, and new Fangbangers will be happily introduced into the world. Bonus: dreamboat actor Michael McMillian, who plays the evil Reverend Steve Newlin, co-wrote the second book!

The New Ghostbusters – Erik Burnham, Dan Schoening

IDW’s reboot of the comic series based on the cartoon offshoot of The Real Ghostbusters, The New Ghostbusters delivers all the same lighthearted antics and hilarious characters as before, but now with Dan Schoening’s expressive and colorful art to back it up. It’s a fun reinvigoration of the old series that doesn’t lack any of the film’s special brand of comedy or creativity. Plus it doesn’t have the BK Kids Club vibe that Extreme Ghostbusters did, so dyed-in-the-wool film fans won’t have much to complain about.

The Toxic Avenger – Doug Moench, Rodney Ramos

Kudos to Marvel for picking up Troma’s cult classic and beautifully turning it into an 11 issue series. The story of mega-nerd Melvin Junko’s transformation into the Toxic Avenger is a no-brainer for comics, and Ramos’ display of the hero’s mutant physique and toxic powers is well paired with Moench’s punchy ’90s dialogue. Though it might not be the most highbrow comic on our list, fans of cult, violence, sci-fi, and humor should pick it up and revel in the toxic nostalgia.

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The Worst:

Superman and Batman vs. Alien and Predator – Mark Schultz

If the title didn’t immediately tip you off that this is one giant clusterfrak of a crossover, be warned that the story inside will only bring a dull throbbing pain to your head that will last hours after the disappointment has subsided. How they managed to make the action scenes boring is beyond us, but the ridiculous, tired banter between Batman and Superman (we get it! They’re foils of each other!) is enough to make us want to slap some facehuggers on, lest we ever catch another atrocity like this again.

World of Warcraft – Walter Simonson

A major issue with basing any kind of spinoff on a role-playing game is that there are no actual characters to build a foundation upon; some might see this as an opportunity to break away from normal conventions of a game and expand into more creative territory. Sadly, the route taken in this uninspired, cliched mess is the opposite; the characters are so flatly stereotypical and the stories are, frankly, shameful, considering Simonson’s repertoire as a writer. Still, the comic features some incredible art, and if you’re a tween fan of the Warcraft universe, you’re probably into it already.

Resident Evil: Code Veronica – Lee Chung Hing

A companion series to the games we loved, this storyline expanded on events occurring among the characters we loved in Resident Evil 2, only instead of the typical twisted story lines with interesting characters and gotcha jump-scare moments to keep you on the edge of your seat that we’ve come to love, it featured laughably bad plot lines paired with art that sucked all the nostalgic horror out of the once great video game. If it weren’t so cheesy and sad, it might be useful for our so-bad-it’s-funny pile. Unfortunately, this series messes up characters and story lines that are too close to our hearts to find amusing.

24: One Shot – Renato Guedes

Though many diehard fans of the show were satisfied simply to have more Jack Bauer content in their hands – as with most comic book runoffs that capitalize on fandom – 24 was just not very good. Lazy storytelling and cringe inducing photo-realistic art make this one adaptation that we can just try to forget happened altogether.

Possibly the most doomed to fail on this list, Transfomers: Movie Adaptation only ran for four miserable issues, during which time it gave a vague attempt to continue the adventures of Even Stevens and the Autobots. Ugh, we get the whole money, profit, Energon-cubes-for-gold thing, but this comic didn’t even stand a chance. Guess what? When you remove the actual breasts and explosions from a movie that people will only see for breasts and explosions, all you have left is a very transparent attempt to squeeze profit out of a franchise.

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Did we miss any comic adaptations that were either eye-gougingly bad or shockingly good? Let us know in the comments below!

Pop guitarist and vocalist Curtis Peoples has released a new music video for the song “Made For Me (Forever)” from his album The Fight, released in April, and it has all the romance, action, and classic gaming nostalgia you could ever want. Also, the dog from Duck Hunt plays beer pong. Curtis teamed up with animator Joe D!, the mind behind the X-Men: First Classopening credit sequence that’s been floating around the interwebs. The two took a little time to answer some burning questions about the creation of the video and their own love for NES. And, as an added bonus, Curtis has made his song available to download along with an 8 bit version, which you can find at the end of our interview.

NERDIST: First things first, how did the two of you link up?

JOE D! I worked with Sandeep Parikh (The Guild, The Legend of Neil) on the title sequence for Save the Supers last summer. He reached out to me a little while ago letting me know that Curtis was looking for someone to work on a music video.

CURTIS PEOPLES: I got connected to Joe through our mutual friend Sandeep Parikh. Joe had created the intro for Sandeep’s show Save The Supers and I went to Sandeep and asked if he knew any great animators who might be into doing a 8 bit style video and he raved about Joe and connected us.

N: Whose idea was it to set the music video in an 8-bit game?

JD: That was all Curtis; He was set on an 8-Bit style long before we met, though I joked and said he had no idea, but he picked the perfect person to carry out his idea. I have been a Nintendo fan for decades; I’ve got every Nintendo system hooked up to my TV right now, and I display my R.O.B, Virtual Boy, and Power Glove prominently in my office. My work at StuntDouble specializes in applying various historic art styles as authentically as possible to new projects, from branding to design, and, yes, even videos.

I insisted that Curtis let me go all out, and instead of using basic pixel art, we should mimic the look and feel of an old 8-Bit game as much as possible. Every sprite is limited to 4 colors, every color is taken from the original NES pallet, the video abides by the number of sprites per scan line and frame rate limits of the NES’s Pixel Processing Unit, the resolution, the memory and everything else fit within the confines of the old NES setup (and before any eagle eyed commenter decides to point out that there are a few SNES looking references, keep in mind that all of those resources were reworked to fit the NES limitations). We even went as far as to mimic the technical aspects of an old CRT TV. The whole screen is made up of little red, green, and blue dots all grouped together, the same setup you would have seen when you were watching Double Dare inches from the TV before your mom told you that you’d ruin your eyes if you sit that close. We even went as far as including the cartridges for the other Curtis games in the very start of the video.

CP: My manager and I were trying to think of a way to do an 8-bit-style video. We went through a number of ideas but most importantly we both grew up loving 8-bit games, NES, ’80s pop culture in general, and we wanted to do a video that called back to that time and how great those games were. Selfishly, I wanted to be an 8=bit character, and getting to be in the game is a dream. You haven’t lived until you’ve seen yourself run across the screen in pixels and glory. And wait until you see the t-shirt Joe and I are designing!

N: Joe, have you done any music videos before this? What was the process like of turning Curtis and his dream girl into video game characters?

JD: This is my first music video, but I’m sure it won’t be my last. It was a blast working with Curtis, and I look forward to the next chance I get to work with him or anyone else that has an idea for a project. The design went through a few revisions — we wanted to keep the characters large enough on screen so they wouldn’t get lost in the background, the first few designs were taller and lankier, sort of like 8-Bit versions of the cast of Scooby-Doo. Curtis and I eventually settled on an art style that was a nice mix of Mega-Man, Astro Boy and River City Ransom. They’re great because they look like they could come from some NES game you just haven’t played yet.

Oh, and I’d like to mention that Curtis’s instructions for the final boss design was to make him “Jersey Shore Bowser” and that’s exactly what we wound up with. (Yes, that’s why he’s orange!)

N: We see a lot of classic NES characters and themes in the video- which ones were your favorites growing up?

JD: Kirby and the Bubble Bobble dinosaurs, both of which make quick cameos in the windows of the brick building right before the boss fight.

CP: I loved Bubble Bobble. I even created a whole sub world I made up with some neighbor kids, and we would film puppet show-style episodes in my living room with my dad. I should go back and see if I can pitch a spin off game (not Rainbow Islands) to Nintendo from the world we created. It was intricate, to say the least.

N: Curtis, why did you decide to also create the 8-bit version? Have you done anything like that before? Do you listen to any chiptune?

CP: I have bounced around the idea of doing an EP of all 8-bit/elevator music versions of some of my songs forever. “Going Up With The Peeps”, “3rd Floor, Peeps Rock,” etc. My friend, producer Todd Beauchamp, and I got together when Joe said he wanted an 8-bit version of the song to feature at the beginning and end of the video, and we just kind of ran with it. The reaction to it has been strong enough that I think we might finally do that EP. “Up Down A B Select Peoples”?

N: Joe, you also created that rad X Men: First Class opening sequence. Are you a big Marvel fan? Are you following any comic series right now? Ditto for you, Curtis.

JD: That video is what actually brought me to Sandeep’s attention, so it’s sort of responsible for this video even happening. It was for an art project on SuperPunch, but when The Patron Saint of Nerds, Patton Oswalt, tweeted about it, it seemed to show up everywhere else on the interwebs. I’m a huge comic fan; While my heart lies with DC (because Batman is the greatest ever), I absolutely love Jonathan Hickman’s work over at Marvel. Also, I have no idea how to do it, but they need to find out how to put Kid Loki into a movie. We don’t have time to list all the books I follow, but if anyone is looking for something to read, my top 5 current picks (in no particular order) are Scott Snyder’s Batman, Brian K. Vaughan‘s Saga, Jonathan Hickman’s Avengers, Manhattan Projects, and East of West.

CP: I’m a huge Marvel fan. Spider-Man was my favorite growing up. The ’80s cartoon, especially. I played a lot of role playing Marvel games with some of my friends; Thanos and the Infinity Gauntlet were always the villains. I also wish someone would figure out how to make Gambit cool in a movie, cause he’s rad as hell. I love what they’re doing now, and I hope Sony and Disney figure out how to play nice so Spider-Man can be in the Avengers. Wishful thinking, but ya never know!

N: If there were a real game that featured drinking games, which would you be unbeatable in?

JD: I don’t actually drink, but I’m pretty awesome at Super Smash Bros., and that could probably be turned into a drinking game pretty easily. Players take a shot before each match, winner of the last match takes two. Any spectators would take a sip every time someone gets knocked out, damage reaches 200%, certain items are used. Finish your drink every time a Mew appears. Stuff like that.

CP: Paperboy or Excite Bike drunk would be so awesome. But give me Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Arcade Game and a bottle of tequila and just leave me alone and I’ll be happy.

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